The Tri-Cities is the Craft Beer Capital of Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon based on the number of breweries and taphouses. Several annual brew festivals also take place in the Tri-Cities. Check out the following topics:

Ice Harbor Brewing

Paper Street Brewing Company

The Paper Street Brewing Company serves up brews and grub food at their Alehouse in Richland. Their beer making is split between their brewery in North Pasco and Yakima Craft, a brewhouse in Yakima. Their beer is available in growlers to go.

Rattlesnake Mountain Brewery

Kimo's Sports Bar in Richland is home to Rattlesnake Mountain Brewery where they serve up to
eight different beers on tap that can also be purchased to go. There is also a variety of food available from Kimo' Menu.

Shrub Steppe Smokehouse Brewery

Shrub Steppe Smokehouse Brewery in Richland offers its own handcrafted ales, lagers and southern-style BBQ. The menu consists of low and slow BBQ favorites including brisket, pulled pork, sausage, ribs and more! Enjoy daily specials, growlers to go and local wines in this family-friendly atmosphere. Dine in or take out. Open daily.

White Bluffs Brewing

White Bluffs Brewing is located in the Richland Horn Rapids Business Center and has tank capacity to accommodate over 28 recipes for hand-crafted ales! Food is available from a local food truck on-site.

Dayton - Chief Spring's Fire and Irons Brew Pub

Hermiston Brewing Co. & Nookie's Restaurant

Nookie's Restaurant, in Hermiston, is home of the Hermiston Brewing Company & Tap House. Nookie's Restaurant was expanded in 2013 to add a 7 1/2 barrel brewery where over 15 beers are produced in house and served daily. The restaurant has an array of menu items that is sure to satisfy all who stop by. They hosted the Beerex Fest in February 2015.

Pendleton - The Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub

Whether it's a dry-hopped Northwest IPA or a malt-heavy Porter, the Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub
is dedicated to exploring the possibilities of grain, hops and yeast. They offer several hand crafted brews and feature a food menu that combines traditional pub fare with scratch cooking.

Prosser

Horse Heaven Hills Brewery

The Horse Heaven Hills Brewery brews
beautifully handcrafted beers with local, regional, and specialty ingredients. They offer a variety of micros for your tasting
from their Honey Girl Ale to their Dark Cherry Stout. You can drink their brews and eat good food at the Horse Heaven Hills Saloon.

Waitsburg - Laht Neppur Brewing Co.

Walla Walla

Burwood Brewing Company

Burwood Brewing Co. brews a half dozen craft beers that they serve by the glass or growler to take home. They have food carts out on their patio during the summer months on Friday and Saturday.

Mill Creek Brew Pub

The Mill Creek Brew Pub serves four hand crafted beers. The Brewpub is still one of the best values in town for food.

Nosdunk Brewing Company

Nosdunk Brewing Company currently produces five brews and operates as a production / distribution only facility. They offer occasional tours by reservation. You can find their brews on tap
at Olive Market Place and Cafe, and Salumiere Cesario.

Old Opera Brewing Company

Querk Brewing

Querk Brewing is a family friendly place, located in the Airport District, that features 14 brews on tap.

Water Buffalo Brewery

Water Buffalo Brewery makes several brews that you can enjoy at several locations including Wingman Birdz & Brewz, Olive Marketplace and Cafe, and Ox & Cart in downtown Walla Walla.

Yakima

Bale Breaker Brewing

Bale Breaker Brewing is located in the middle of the
Loftus Ranch hop field no. 41 in the Moxee/Yakima area and produces four beers. Although they don't offer pub food, they encourage outside food to be brought in or pizza delivered to their taproom.

Berchman's Brewing Company & Taproom

Hop Nation Brewing Company

Hop Nation Brewing Company in Yakima is a brewery managed by Master Brewer Ben Grossman. Hop Nation Brewing Company offers a tasting room to share with you its tasty, fresh, and uniquely hand-crafted brews that include a German style Hefeweizen, an Oat Pale Ale, an ESB, and an IPA.

Yakima Craft Brewing Co.

Yakima Craft Brewing Co. (YCBC) produces high-quality
craft ales and lagers with an emphasis on full-bodied taste and unique character.
They even sell T-shirts, hats, and glasses with their YCBC logo. In addition to a taproom at their brewery, they have a taproom in downtown Yakima.

Taphouses & Bottled Craft Beer

There are several taphouses in the Tri-Cities that offer a variety of local and regional microbrews and craft beers. Several of the taphouses serve food and all allow growler fills. This section also lists a couple of retail outlets in the Tri-Cities that sell a variety of bottled craft beer.

Barley's BrewHub

Barley's BrewHub in Kennewick features American craft beers and delicious BBQ. They will always have the local breweries represented on tap and the remaining 30 taps will be continually rotating. Here's what's on tap.

Brews Taphouse & Growler Fills

Brews Taphouse & Growler Fills in Pasco has 40 craft beers on tap that are always rotating. When one keg blows, a different beer comes on. There will always be different beers every time you visit. We focus entirely on craft beer! Here's what's on tap.

Copper Top Tap House and Growler Fills

Copper Top Tap House and Growler Fills in Kennewick features 40 rotating taps with a variety of beers from the Pacific Northwest, as well as a selection of wine and hard cider. Food won't be available but they have teamed up with local food trucks to bring you delicious food to enjoy. They also encourage you to bring your own food or have it delivered! Here's what's on tap.

Growler Guys

The Growler Guys in Richland features a tap list of over 30 beers and ciders. Sample a few brews and fill up a grower to go. Their beer stewards are MBAA certified.

Tommy's Tap House & Bistro

Tommy's Tap House & Bistro (formerly McKay's Taphouse) in Richland is the place for the craft beer connoisseur! We have 51 beers on tap, representing regional, national, international, and Columbia Valley breweries.

Wook's Craft & Cork

Wook's Craft & Cork in West Richland is your local purveyor of fine craft ales and wines. Featuring 18 Taps, growler fills, bottled and packaged beer to go, live music, gluten free options. Open mic every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m.

Bottled Craft Beer

There are several retail shops in the Tri-Cities that offer a variety of local and regional microbrews and craft beers.

Mid-Columbia Wine & Spirits

Mid-Columbia Wine & Spirits, with stores in
both Richland and Kennewick, offers over 1000 different kinds of bottled beer and they have a Growlers Corner at both locations. They also offer a large selection of wine and cigars.

Yoke's Fresh Market

Yoke's Fresh Market is a grocery store chain that tends toward the high end, in both quality and price. There's some refridgerated shelves featuring micro and import singles, and a walk-in cooler for 6-packs, half-racks and cases of micro and macro options. They do stock beer from local breweries.

What's on Tap in Pendleton and Yakima?

If you are in Pendleton or Yakima then check out the following establishments:

Pendleton - 40 Taps

At 40 Taps, you will find Pendleton's largest selection of craft beer on tap - featuring 40 Taps of Craft and Domestic Beers, Ciders, and Root Beer. Nico's Tacos is the Official Cuisine of 40 Taps.

Yakima - The Beer Shoppe

The Beer Shoppe in Yakima is home to more than over 500 different beers from all over the world. Everything is priced by the bottle so you can mix & match brews. There is always 21 rotating beers on draft. They also serve hot dogs and English pork pies. Here's what's on tap.

Beer and Hop Festivals

There are several annual beer and hop related festivals in the Tri-Cities and other nearby communities.

Tri-Cities - Three Rivers Craft Brew and Bacon Festival - February

The annual Three Rivers Craft Brew and Bacon Festival is held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. Your ticket includes a commemorative tasting glass, four tasting tokens, all of the bacon-themed foods presented by local restaurants and live entertainment. Tokens for additional tastings can be purchased. This is a 21-and-over event, and photo ID is required.

Tri-Cities Craft Beer Festival - April

The Washington Beer Commission hosts the annual Tri-Cities Craft Beer Festival in April. This event features 35 Washington craft breweries pouring more than 100+ craft beers from the Home of the Hops. Come to the Tri-Cities Craft Beer Festival to learn more from expert brewers while you drink beer from the source, enjoy live music, and eat local food.

Dayton - Blue Mountain Brix & Brew - March

The Blue Mountain Brix & Brew in Dayton is held each March and
features a beer and wine social with a benefit silent auction.

Milton-Freewater - Brews by the Blues Festival - July

Moxee Hop Festival - August

The East Valley Community Enhancement Association and the City of Moxee sponsor the annual two day
Moxee Hop Festival during August that has become a great local tradition to celebrate the Harvesting of the Hop.

Prosser Beer and Whiskey Festival - August 26, 2017

The Prosser Beer and Whiskey Festival is held during August. This event features Microbrews, distilleries and entertainment. Must be 21, ID required, food sold separately. It is held at the Prosser Food & Wine Park.

Sunnyside Summer Ale Fest - June

Sunnyside Summer Ale Fest is an annual event held on the last Saturday of June at Centennial Square in downtown Sunnyside. The event features a wide variety of craft beer from some of our region's best breweries, wine, food and live music.

Yakima Blues and Local Brews Bash - August 19, 2017

The Yakima Blues and Local Brews Bash is a music festival that takes place in Yakima in August that also features local brews from Bale Breaker, Iron Horse, and Yakima Craft.

Yakima - Fresh Hop Ale Festival - September 30, 2017

At the annual Fresh Hop Ale Festival during October, you can expect over
3,000 enthusiastic aficionados of both fine craft beer and Allied Arts having a marvelous time in downtown Yakima.
This event is held early in October and all proceeds benefit Allied Arts of Yakima.

Yakima - Roots & Vines Fest - May

The Roots and Vines Fest is a celebration of Americana, Roots & Bluegrass music; featuring craft beverages made in the city of Yakima.

Brewer Associations & Home Brewing

American Homebrewers Association

Want to know more about homebrewing?
The American Homebrewers Association is the community for homebrewers. As the name implies,
homebrewing is the hobby of brewing beer at home. The American Homebrewers Association offers introductory lessons and other information on homebrewing.

Beer 101 - Beer Education

Welcome to Beer 101 where you will find beer articles and general information from BeerAdvocate (see below) to help in your beer-education.

BeerAdvocate

BeerAdvocate is a global, grassroots network, powered by an independent community of beer enthusiasts and industry professionals who are dedicated to supporting and promoting beer.

Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is an organization of brewers, for brewers and by brewers. More than 2,300 U.S. brewery members and 43,000 members of the American Homebrewers Association are joined by members of the allied trade, beer wholesalers, retailers, individuals, other associate members and the Brewers Association staff to make up the Brewers Association.
The Brewers Association's purpose is to promote and protect American craft brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts.

RateBeer

RateBeer has remained an active forum for beer lovers to come together and share opinions of beers, and beer retailers in a free environment. You can search for a beer and read how others have rated it.

Washington Beer Commission

The Washington Beer Commission is the first
state-sanctioned commission of its kind in the United States dedicated to promoting craft-brewed beer
from Washington state. Washington state now boasts 240+ breweries and a directory of breweries is provided by region.

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the craft beer industry? Central Washington University (CWU) is now offering a four-year craft brewing degree. The interdisciplinary program is the first of its kind in Washington state. The craft brewing bachelor of science degree prepares graduates for careers in brewing production, quality assurance, brewery management, beer merchandising, distribution, brewing technology, packaging, safety, sanitation, sensory evaluation, and entrepreneurship.

You can also earn a Craft Beer Trade Certificate from Central Washington University. This program is offered as part of CWU's Continuation Education Program and is a one-year program
with classes involving the Principles and Biochemistry of Brewing, Principles of Merchandising Management for Micro Brewing,
Brewing Microbiology, and Brewing Process Technology.

History of Brewing

Bert Grant - Northwest Microbrewery Pioneer

In 1982, Bert Grant founded the Yakima Brewing & Malting Co. which became the first modern independent craft brewery in the Pacific Northwest.
At that time there were less than 50 craft breweries in the United States. Bert sold the Yakima Brewing & Malting Co. and Grant's brewpub to
Chateau St. Michelle Winery in 1995.

After Bert's death in 2001, the Yakima Brewing and Malting Co. and Grant's Brewpub were sold
to Black Bear Brewing Company. The microbrewery finally closed in 2005 after Black Bear ran into financial and legal problems. For more information about Bert Grant, read
Microbrewery pioneer Bert Grant led Northwest beer revolution.

According to Liquid Diet - the blog, the Yakima Craft Brewing Co. is using a
3.5bbl brewhouse that is Bert Grant's original one from 1982 and they are using an all-copper kettle that Grant had made plus the
old dairy tanks and other original equipment.

American Hop Museum - Toppenish

The American Hop Museum, located in Toppenish, is the nation's only hop museum dedicated to the preservation of the
historical equipment, photos, and artifacts that have long been important in the growing and harvesting of hops.

The Museum's website provides a brief history behind the hop industry in Yakima Valley and a walk through the typical hop season; from spring, to fall.

Yakima Valley Hops - Facts & Products

Hops TV

Hops Direct, LLC near Mabton is a family owned and internationally known hop wholesale business that operates
a farm-direct approach to selling hops. They have produced seventeen videos on the growing and processing of hops that you can view on
hopsdirect - YouTube.

Yakima Valley Hop Facts

The hops grown in Yakima Valley represent approximately 78 percent of the total United States hop acreage and 25% of the world's supply.
For more information about this hop growing region, check out
Hop History provided by Yakima Valley Spirits and Hops Trail.

Yakima Valley Hop Products for Craft and Home Brewers

Yakima Chief - Hopunion is a supplier of hop products based in Yakima and offers smaller quantities of their hop products for sale to craft brewers in their pursuit of premium craft beer - this includes home brewers.